Simulated bowling pin with angular reaction



D. E. HOOKER ETA:b 3,063,715

SIMULATED BOWLING PIN WITH ANGULAR REACTION Filed June 25, 1960 Nov. 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. 30A/,44p 5 Afa BY-a /M/ Nov. 13, 1962 D. E, HOOKER r-:TAL

SIMULATED BOWLING PIN WITH ANGULAR REACTION Filed June 25, 19Go 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arr /e/vEy.

SIMULATED BOWLING PIN WITH ANGULAR REACTION Filed June 25, 1960 NOV- 13, 1952 D. E. HOOKER E-r A1.

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3,063,715 Y SMULATED BQWIING PIN WITH ANGULAR REACTIN Donald E. Hooker, Wilmette, and Roman A. Tojza,

Chicago, Ill., assignors to Lion Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ot Illinois Filed .lune 23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,319 14 Claims. (Cl. 273-41) This invention pertains to amusement apparatus, par- 4ticularly simulated bowling games adapted `for coin-controlled operation, and has as its principal object the provision of an improved pin mechanism of the class in which the bowling pin is suspended from a pendant arm in position to be ystruck by a rolling ball, with trigger means sensitive to the impact to free the pin for movement by spring means to an elevated position temporarily withdrawn from further play in simulation of real pin action.

There are numerous -forms of pendant types of mechanical ten-pin apparatus in which the pins are variously suspended by levers, chains, cords, 'and the like, the presently disclosed pin mechanism belonging in the category of the rod-suspended type and being distinguished from previously attempted structures of this class by reason of the capability of the pin, when struck, to ily up -in any of at least three positive directions depending upon the direction of approach and impact of the `ball which strikes A further distinguishing feature of the new pin mechanism resides in the construction, operation, and sensitivity of the pin-releasing trigger detent means which makes possible a directionally-sensitive respon-se, so that the struck pin `can fall away in a proper direction responsive to the impact of the ball, and can strike and cause the release of still other pins in so doing, as in the case of actual bowling.

A further aspect of novelty resides in the provision of a simple resetting means operative to restore the pin to .play in lowered position `from any of the several struck positions into which it is directed.

Still l:further aspects of novelty and utility inherent in the disclosed improvements relate to the provision ot unitary pin mechanisms each of compact and operatively complete character and which may each be easily installed, serviced, and replaced, and which respectively afford a high degree of ruggedness and operative stability against accidental triggering or release of pins in respect to the otherwise sensitive trigger means, al1 of which will appear more fully as the following description proceeds in view of .the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a iront perspective View of a complete pin unit Wit-h the pin in pendant or reset playing attitude and the reset cam lever -at the end of its resetting stroke;

FIG. 1-A is a partial side elevation of a modied Vform of the reset mechanism including a safety lockout shown in released condition;

FIG, l-B is another partial elevation of the modified pin unit of FIG. l-A seen from the opposite side and showing a modified stop means;

FIG. l-C is a view similar to that of FIG. l-A with the lockout shown in latching condition;

FIG. 2 is a partial view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the pin in one of its several struck positions land the reset cam and lever in normal or home position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective detail of a portion of the mechanisms seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, but showing the pins alternatively in two other possible struck positions;

IFIG. 4 is a partial perspective of the unit of FIGS. l or 2, as viewed from the rear looking in the direction of approach of a ball moving at the pin;

3,063,715 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan detail looking up along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4 at a part of the trigger detent means;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail of the trigger detent means looking along lines 6 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the pivot means for the reset mechanism as viewed in the `direction of lines 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is -a perspective detail of the pivot pin 71 for the reset cams seen in FIG. 7.

As viewed in FIG. 1, the compact pin unit comprises a base plate 15 upon which is secured, as at 16, a U-shaped overhead bracket 17 having a pair of tabs 18 struck down from the forward edge of the bight thereof.

A U-shaped pin-carrying bail 20 is pivotally mounted interiorly of said bracket close to the base plate, in the manner more fully seen in FIG. 4, by means of a pivot bolt 21 extended through one of the legs of this ybracket on one side, and by means of a special pivot pin 23, such as detailed in FIG. 8, seated in the opposite leg of the bracket, suitable nut means 24 being applied to both pivot members. The axis through parts 21 and 23 constitutes the pivotal axis for the pin carrier and :is the iirst of several reference axes involved in this mechanism.

As seen in FIG. 1, a simulated bowling -pin 25, preferably made of a iirrn, shape-retaining, but otherwise nonrigid material such as rubber or synthetic plastic equivalents and usually in hollow configuration, is suspended from the lower end of a long pin rod 26 suitably attached to a bracket 27 secured interiorly yby the pin head. A long traction spring 28 has its lower end hooked onto said pin bracket 27 and its upper end hooked into a hole in the overhead bracket 17.

The pin rod 26 is pivot-ally connected to the pin carrier vbail 20 in the manner especially evident in FIG, 2 wherein it will be seen that said rod passes through a collar 29 staked fast, with a -short toggle arm 30, onto the end of a pivot pin 31A passing through the bail and a heavy stabilizing collar 31, to be secured lby a spring retaining washer 32, IFIG. 1. Thus, as -indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 3, the pin rod will pivot with the toggle arm and pin 31A on a second reference axis at right angles to said carrier axis through pivots 21 and 23.

The eiiort of the long traction spring 28 on the lbowling pin assembly is such as tends to rock the carrier bail into one of the struck positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; however, this action is normally restrained by the provision of a novel and highly effective trigger detent means `such as shown in FIG. 5,*and consisting of a -at-lyre-shaped detent plate 32 preferably molded from a nylon material and having opposite pivot arms 33 each provided near its free end with a stud 33A pivotally seating in -a bearing hole provided in the tabs 18 on the overhead bracket (FIG. 4 also) whereby the detent plate is mounted to rock up and down relative to the underlying end of the pin rod, the detent member being normally urged into a downward position by means of a hairpin spring 34 seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, the downward displacement being limited by a stop Washer 35 attached thereto -by suitable spacer and screw means 36 positioned to strike the bracket and determine the said normal position of this detent member.

'I'he bowling pin is releasably held in pendant playing position by the action of a conically shaped detent nose 37 constituting a rst, or rod, detent member and forming part of a roller 38 (FIGS. 1 and 6) affixed to the upper end of the pin rod, the latter being extended beyond its attachment to the bail to a position just beneath the main detent member or rocking detent pl-ate 32, the latter having a shallow depression 39 formed (FIGS. 5 and 6) on the underside thereof to receive the conical nose portion of the rod detent whereby a detent members 32 and 37 in reaction to the forces set up by action of the traction spring 28 and the detent spring 34, this trigger interlock being such that a blow from a bowled ball of predetermined moderate size and weight, such as commonly found suitable for simulated and coin-operated games, will trigger the release of the p-in for elevation by actionof spring 28, which will cause the pin to assume one of the three positions illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, which of the aforesaid three possible positions the struck pin will assume, depending primarily upon the direction of impact of the ball in conjunction with a sensitive toggle action involving the toggle lever or arm 30 which is fast with the pin rod pivot, and which, as viewed in FIG. 4, has a pierced bearing stud staked into its free end to pivotally seat one bent end 41A of an over-center spring 4I, the opposite bent end r41B of which is pivotallyV seated in another pierced bearing Stud 42 iixed on the pin bail 20.

The two spring stud bearings are in a radial, overcenter alignment with the axis of the pin rod pivot through the mounting pin 31A,'so that in the set or pendantly latched playing condition of the bowling pin as seen in F-IG. 4, the toggle system consisting of the Itoggle lever 30 and its over-center spring 41 are in a state of sensitive over-'center tension and balance of a character such that the toggle will tend to throw or break the balance one way or the otherif the ball strikes the pin on one side or the other of a head-on vertical center line of approach through the foremost face of the pin andparallel to the aXis of the pin carrying rod, the blow on either side'of this central reference line of approach and impact tending to produce a resultantly opposite torque on the toggle arm to throw the latter upwardly or downwardly (FIGS. 1 or 4) and break the over-center balance of the toggle force, such that the effort of the toggle spring 41 and leverage of arm 30 will at once be added to such torque to act in the same direction, with a consequent pivoting of the pin carrying rod 26 into one ofthe rightor left-hand endwise positions to be seen in full lines .in FIG. 2 or in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

The third pin attitude, as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 3, may be called the central position, and will result when the ball strikes the pin head-on at the aforesaid center reference point, so that no effective resultant torque is set up to disturb the over-center balance of f the toggle system, in which case the pin rod tends to remain in a straight non-pivoted or centralized condition while being elevated by the main spring 28 in rocking back the bail 20, and ineonsequence the rod will come to rest in the full-line central position seen in i FIG. 3.

lIn Ithis latter action, it is possible that the toggle may start to break after the pin has swung more or less fully into .the upwardly and centrally folded position, owing to vibration and like disturbing eiects arising from the impact of the ball and operation of the pin carrying bail, and to prevent 4such aberrant toggle action there is provided a combination locking and shock-absorbing stop means positioned to be engaged by the upper end portions of the pin rod near the'end of its upward travel, said means comprising an arcuate stop bar 5t? (FIG. l), having a central locator notch 51 and opposite endwise or rightand left-hand locator notches 52, 53 at its ends.

The stop bar 59 has a pair of radially divergent feet 54, one of which is afxed to the end 55 of a lever arm 56, and the other of which is afl'ixed to the end of another lever arm V57, said lever arms being respectively pivotaily mounted on the side legs of the overhead bracket coaxially with the pivot pin and bolt means ZI, 23, which mount the pin-carrying bail. Y

A traction spring 58 has its upper end anchored on the overhead bracket arm, its lower end hooked onto the stop bar lever 56, and normally elevates said bar into a yieldable stopping position to be struck by the 4 upper end portion of the pin-carrying rod, whereby to absorb the shock lby arrest of the rising pin.

This spring-urged upward movement of the stop bar is limited by means of a hook member 6d (FIGS. l and 4) aixed to its lever arm 56 and passing down through and around (FIGS. l and 4) the margins of a hole 6I in the base plate whereby to hook the latter for such upward-limiting action.

The aforesaid locating and latching notches 51, 52, and 53 are of a width to permit the rod some play in seeking a position of rest while limiting any substantial residual shifting or wandering incident to the shock of arrest.

Means for resetting each pin, individually, comprises the pair of cams seen in FIG. l and consisting of an outer lever cam 7i) floating free on a bushing 71 carried on the pivot pin 23 (FIG. 7 also) and having a long oiset lever arm '72 adapted to be connected at 73 with a motor-driven gang resetting means (not shown) which will act on all such pin units (there being ten in the conventional bowling array) to pull the lever 72 downwardly or in a direction away from the observer in FIG. 1 to effect the resetting action. A

A companion resetting cam 75 (FIGS. l and 4) is made fast with the bail pin 23 (FIG. 7) lby reason of being staked onto the outer end portion 76 of the hub portion 23A of said pin, the opposite end of said hub having ya spline key 23B formed thereon to t into a matching slot, not seen, formed in the conjoining leg of the pin-carrying bail 20, in consequence of which it will be apparent that it the inner or second resetting cam 75 is turned, the pin 23 must likewise turn, since it is staked thereto at '76, and therefore the pin bail 20 must turn since it is keyed to this pin at 23B.

As seen in FIGS. l, 2, and 4, the fixed cam 75 is provided with a small laterally-projecting coupling lug 77 which underlies the edge of the oating cam 76 so that when the latter moves counterclockwise, in resetting action from the position shown in FIG. 2, it will engage said lug 77, as in FIPS. l and 4, and carry the tired or second cam 75, and hence the bail 20, with it until the bail has been rocked from the struck position of FIG. 2, back into the reset position of FIGS. l and 4, from which the cam means 7l), 72 is always restored to a home position like that seen in FIG. 2 (see also FIG. 1A).

Means for locking the bail in struck position comprises the provision of a series of ratchet teeth 79 (FIGS. 2 and 4) in the arcuate periphery of the lfixed cam, which teeth are disposed in the struck position (FIG. 2) beneath the offset detent nose 8l of a ratchet lever Si? pivoted on the overhead bracket, as at 79, and urged to ride against the cam by a spring d2, said earn having its Vriding periphery extended somewhat within the predetermined space limitations requiredby projecting a iinger portion 84 therefrom (FIGS. 1 and 2) so that the detent nose Si will have an ample riding periphery in the range of travel of the iixed cam 75. A hole 85 is provided in the base plate to clear the finger S4 in the struck position of the pin (FIG. 2). The peripheral cam portions 70X on cam '70 raise the'dog or detent 81 free of theV ratchet teeth.

Means for guiding the pin rod 26, and hence the pin 25, into the centrally pendant reset or playing position from any one of the several angular struck positions comprises the provision of a pair of arcuate guide tracks (FIGS. l, 2, and 4), each having an offset foot 91 Xed on the base plate, and an offset upper end 92 (FIGS. 5 and 6) attached by screws 94 to a small U-shaped stop bracket 93 secured to said upper ends of Y the guide tracks to span the opening therebetween in a position to be struck by the pin roller 38 as a stop and limit the forward or resetting movement of said roller, and hence the detent nose 37 thereof so that the latter will be guided and centered for engagement in the relieved detent seating portion of the rocking detent member 32.

Thus, referring to FIG. 2, when the resetting lever is driven forward, as previously explained, the pin bail 20 is rocked forward (aw-ay from the observer in FIG. 2) and this action cau-ses the pin roller 38 to ride on one or the other of the arcuate tracks 9i), which will direct the detent nose 37 beneath the rocking detent member 32, it being usual that even if the pin lies in the central locking notch 51 at the time of resetting, the toggle Spring will be imbalanced and the pin will tend to seek a right or left position on rising out of the notch 51 and thrust the roller 38 against the corresponding rail.

It will be apparent that in the usual mechanical bowling game employing ten such pin units a highly diversied pin reaction can be achieved when a bowled ball enters the array of ten pins with various directional and dynamic approaches to strike one or more pins, since the ball will commonly undergo more or less alteration of its directional tendencies on impact with one or more pins, and the pins themselves can strike other pins, as in regulation bowling, so that the chain of reactions can be unpredictable in contradistinction to the limited reaction of other types of pendantly hung pins, which com- -monly can move only -in one direction in response to a hit, although various atttempts have been made heretofore to achieve more diversified reactions by use of ball joints, chains, and like expediencies, which are expensive and complicated, if feasible at all, or which greatly complicate the triggering and resetting probelms.

For highly sensitive settings of the detent-triggering reaction it is desirable to lock the pin-carrying assembly against accidental release during the terminal phase of `the resetting operation, that is to say, while the resetting cam 70 is being returned from the full reset .position of FIG. 1 to a normal home position comparable to that shown in FIG. 2, it being possible that the vibration set up by action of a gang resetting mechanism for ten pin units will be suicient to trigger the units. In arrangements where this trouble is likely to arise, the modified construction shown in FIG. 1-A provides a momentary safety lock-up by including on the periphery of the extended portion 84 of the fixed resetting cam, a locking notch 83 into which drops the olset end of an adjustably positionable locking dog 86 on a lockout lever 87 pivoted on the bracket 17 and urged by -spring means 88 (FIG. l-'B) to ride the periphery of cam 75.

In the foregoing modified construction the left-hand (FIG. 4) lever 56 of the pair 56, 57 which carry the curved stop bar 5G, is changed according to FIG. l-B wherein the left-hand lever 56X is provided with an integral stop lug 59 oiset to strike against the rear vertical edge of the bracket 17 under urgence of spring 58, and said lug 59 replaces the hooked stop member 60 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The lug 59 may be duplicated on the right-hand lever 57X, if desired, as in FIG. l-C.

The aforesaid modification laccording to FIG. l-B also includes a switch-operating lever 63, keyed to pivot pin 21 with lever 56X and having roller means 64 at its end to actuate a supervisory switch means such as the stack switch 65 used in score and indicating circuits (not shown) to signal which pin is hit and to supervise resetting operations.

The disclosed pin supporting and actuating apparatus in its simplest form comprises the rockable carrier 20 and the pin pivot means 26, 29, the detent means 32, etc., cooperating with the upper end of the rod 26, and the spring means 28 for raising the triggered pin. The directionally-sensitive angular-deflection means in the form of the over-center or toggle spring mechanism 30, 41, etc., not being essential t'o effective operation of the simulated pin structure.

The over-center spring means 30, 41 imparts a positive angular-deflection bias or displacement to the pin rod responsive to the proper angular impact ofthe bowl- Iing ball or other playing piece, so that the pin will quickly and positively seek one of the rightor left-hand positions depicted in FIG. 3 without necessitating a particularly hard blow from the ball to send it to such limits.

However, omission of the positive detlecting mechanism 30, 41, etc., is desirable in some games'because then the pin is not necessarily pivoted fully to the right or left, as in FIG. 3, but may assume any of a multitude of intermediate positions determined by the angle of approach and force of impact of the ball, the latter factor being more determinative of the deflecting reaction than .is the case when the toggle spring means 30, 41 is used.

The pin reaction can be made still more diversified by omitting the directional detlecting-spring means 30, 41 on some but not all of the ten pin units, the choice of the use or omission of all or only some of these deflect'- ing devices being optional and non-critical and may be taken into consideration with factors such as the kind of action desired in connection with a given size and spacing of the pins or the size and weight of the ball and the length of alley to Ibe provided and whether it is desired to make it easy or difficult for the player to score a strike or spare, the multi-angular deection arrangement without the positive spring deection means 3i), 41 being more liberal to the player and more diversitied in this respect.

When the positive deflection spring arrangement is omitted it is not essential `to provide locating notches 51, 52, 53 in the shock-absorbing stop bar 50, although their presence in such a case is not objectionable.

We claim:

l. In a simulated bowling pin structure, the combination with a -pin body attached to one end region of a. normally pendant suspensory rod, of angular-motion pinsupporting means comprising: a carrier and means mounting the same to rock about a horizontal axis; means pivotally mounting said rod at a point between its ends on said carrier to pivot about another axis in sidewise deiiecting action extending in a direction at right angles to the carrier axis, such that the rod may assume a central pendant angular playing position and also may pivot oppositely away from said central position into a plurality of other angular deiiection positions, and the pin body may be elevated to a struck position by rocking of the carrier with the pin body in any of said angular deflection positions.

2. The construction set forth in claim l further characterized by the provision of carrier-actuating and control means comprising: spring means acting on the carrier to rock the same upwardly from a lower playing position to a raised struck position; and impact-triggered detent means cooperable with the upper end portion of said rod to releasably latch the latter, and appurtenantly the carrier, in pendant playing position, said detent means being operable on predetermined impact of a playing piece with said pin body to trigger and release the rod and carrier for movement to said struck position; and reset mechanism operable to rock the carrier from struck position and dispose the pin body in playing position, together with guide means situated adjacent the path of travel of the upper end region of the rod, in travelling from struck to playing position, for guiding said rod to dispose said upper end region into latching relation with said detent means.

3. Apparatus having a construction according to claim 1 further characterized by the provision of directionallysensitive decction spring means acting upon said rod to pivot the same in opposite directions of angular deilection from said central pendant position dependently upon the direction of impact of a playing piece on the pin body whether in head-on or angular approach thereto.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said directionally sensitive spring means comprises a crank for said lpivotal rod-mounting means and an over-centerl spring 7 mounted to act upon said crank eccentrically of the pivotal axis thereof to be in a state of approximate overcenter balance when said pin and rod are in the central pendant playing position, and acting to pivot the rod oppositely in deflection from said central position responsive to certain correspondingly directed angular impacts on the pin body other than a dead-center, pin head-on blow thereon acting at right angles to the plane containing the axis of said carrier.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized in that said reset mechanism includes a reset lever and cam system operatively coupling with said carrier and operable to rock the latter from struck position back to said playing position as aforesaid, and further including lockout means for guarding against accidental triggering of the detent means during a terminal portion, at least, of the resetting action and comprising a latch lever yieldingly urged into latching engagement with a part of said lever and cam system in a phase of operation of lthe latter corresponding to the movement of the pin rod into latching relation with said detent means; together with means actuated by said reset mechanism as a function of the resetting operation thereof for releasing said latch lever following completion of the detent latching of the pin rod and body fully in said playing position.

6. In a simulated bowling pin mechanism a pin assembly comprising a pin body and a iong, rigid supporting arm attached at one of its ends to said body and having a tirst detent part at its opposite free end; a base adapted to lie in a horizontal mounting plane; a carrier for said pin assembly and means mounting the same on said base to rock up and down about a first horizontal axis; spring means acting on the pin assembly in a direction to rock the carrier and with it the pin assembly upwardly to a struck position; means supportably engaging said supporting arm between its ends to rock about a second axis extending crosswise of said first axis torpermit a sidewise deflection of `the arm and the attached pin body whereby said ar-m and pin body have two degrees of angular motion; a second detent part and means mounting the same to lie in a plane above the detent part on the pin arm for movement to releasably 4latch the latter in a vertical playing position, said rst and second detent partsV being sensitive to the impact of a playing piece on the pin body to release their latchng coaction and free the arm and attached pin body for both degrees of motion in movement of the carrier to struck position; means operable to rockably reset the carrier from struck to playing position; and guide Imeans carried by said base for engagement of upper free end portions of the supporting arm in resetting movement to direct the iirst detent part into latching engagement with the second detent part.

7. A simulated bowling pin mechanism comprising a pin carrier, .means supporting said carrier for rocking motion about'a first axis; bowling pin means including a pin rod mounted in a Vregion between its ends on said carrier for movement pivotally about a second axis and for angular displacement by rocking of the carrier to and from a playing position and struck position substantially at right angles to the first axis; a simulated bowling pin carried at a lower end portion of said rod, the latter being provided at its upper end with a -first detent means; spring means applying Va'force to said bowling pin means in a direction to rock said carrier to a predetermined struck conditionY in which said pin rod is raised to said struck position; reset lever means operatively connecting with said carrier and operable to move the latter from struck position to dispose said rod and bowling pin into said playing position; a second detent means mounted with said supporting means in a position opposite said first detent means at the end of the pin rod when the Vlatter is disposed in said playing position, and detent spring means yieldingly pressing said second detent means into holding engagement with said iirst detent meansV to hold the rod and bowliugrpin releasably in said playing position, said detent means being arranged and con structed to release the pin rod on striking of the bowling pin with, at least a predetermined force in certain directions by a playing piece; and rail means convergent toward said second detent means to guide said pin rod to lead the iirst detent means into holding engagement with said Second detent means.

8. A construction according to claim 7 further characterized in that said second detent means is pivotally mounted to rock about a third axis lapproximately parallel to the first or carrier axis with a portion radially out- -ward of the third axis to overlie the-irst or pin rod detent means in playing position of the rod, said radially outward portion having a relieved gliding surface on the side thereof proximate to said pin rod detent means to be releasably interengajged with the latter in said reset condition; said detent spring means acting on said second detent means urging the same in a rdirection about said third axis toward the pin rod detent means in playing position thereof.

9. A construction according to claim 7 in Awhich there is additionally provided a stop bar positioned and yieldably mounted adjacent said carrier to 'be struck 4by said rod in moving into struck position to arrest the same and absorb the shock of such arrest.

10. The construction of claim 9 further characterized in that said stop bar is mounted to rock coaxially of said first axis and is spring-,urged to a normal stopping position in a direction toward the approach Ithereto of the pin rod when the latter moves toward Ysnuck position.

11. A `construction according to claim 7 in which said Vreset lever means comprises a iirst cam plate iixed to rock with said carrier; a second cam plate floating coaxially alongside ythe first plate; means for drivingly coupling said plates on predetermined angular movement of the iioating plate in a direction to rock the second plate and carrier in a resetting action; detent teeth on the first plate, and a detent pawltspring-urged to ride the first plate and holdingly engage with said teeth to prevent Vretrograde movement of the first plate; and a cam formation on the iioating plate engageable with said pawl to free the same from said teeth on movement of the floating plate in the direction of resetting action. Y

12. A simulated bowling pin mechanism comprising a support, a carrier pivoted on said support for movement about a first axis, a rockable member pivoted on the carrier for movement about a second axis at an angle to the iirst axis, a lbowling pin structure and an elongated connection means attached to the saine and to said rockable member, a detent part carried by said connection means, spring means acting constantly on the bowling pin structure in directions to pivot the carrier to dispose the pin structure in a predetermined simulated hit position; resetting means cooperable with the carrier and operative to pivot the carrier to set the pin structure in a second predetermined position corresponding to a set playing position; and sensitive trigger detent means carried by the support 1n position to 'be releasably engaged by said detent part carried -by said connection means when the pin structure is in said playing position to hold the pin structure 1n said set position, and triggered to release the pin for movement to said hit position on impact of predetermined fVorce-of a playing pieceVV with the pin structure.

13. Mechanism as defined in claim l2 and further characterized 'by the provision of an over-center spring means acting on said rockable member to rock the same in either of two opposite directions from a predetermined balance center radial to said second axis, said spring means being balanced relative to said centerwhen said pin structure is set in said playing position, whereby the pin structure can be given two spring-urged motions responsive to impact as aforesaid. Y i

14. `In a simulated bowling pin mechanism, a carrier bracket and means mounting the'same for movement upwardly and downwardly Ibetween a set playing position and a hit position; means constantly urging the bracket 9 toward said hit position; a simulated ibowling pin structure and means mounting the same on said bracket for movement in `opposite directions sideWiSe from la central set position such that when said bracket is in said set playing position the pin is pendant in an approximately vertical plane corresponding to a playing position in which a playing piece is to be launched thereat With the object of striking the same; means cooperative with said pin structure constantly urging the same away from said central Set position relative to the bracket to cause movement of the pin sideWise oppositely from said central position to Ithe right or left thereof dependently upon the pin 'being struck by a playing piece 'as aforesaid and the general direction of attack of said playing piece in -respect to the direction of approach thereof to the right or left relative to said central position or the resultant force of impact acting predominantly as aforesaid to `the right or left of said central position; and trigger ydetent means situated in a central position relative to the pin structure disposed in its playing position aforesaid and automatically cooperative with the pin structure to hold the same releasably set in said playing position against the effort of said urging means when the pin structure is moved to such set playing position, and to release the pin structure when the latter is struck with a predetermined minimum force as aforesaid so that the pin bracket and pin structure may both be moved to hit position Eby the respective urging means as aforesaid.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,722,784 Blair July 30, 1929 

